Lofts at Monroe

[edjax]

Sounds like per The Daily Record this received a less than enthusiastic response from the review board yesterday.  Have been told to make it more urban, although conceptual approval granted???

[thelakelander]

Jax Daily Record article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=549554

I was surprised no one quoted in the article mentioned flipping the layout, to put the building along Adams and Lee Streets.

[acme54321]

The rents look pretty reasonable at least

[Jim]

"It feels very suburban because of the amount of parking. It looks like it belongs on Baymeadows Road, not Adams Street."

It does look a bit like Spyglass.

[remc86007]

I hate the surface parking.

I also don't quite understand the income limits. According to the Times Union the income limit for a single person is $27,300 and for two people it's $31,200. I guess that means they want couples with one breadwinner since the increase for the second person is hardly enough to cover their marginal increase in food expenses. I'm sure they've studied the demographics and think they can fill the units with those limits. I'd rather they add a couple more floors to the building and increase the income limit for two people to at least the single person plus 50%.

[jaxnyc79]

Perhaps turn the parts of the surface parking lot that abut the streets into a pedestrian plaza, and make the most interior parts of the lot the parking.  That way, there's some pedestrian feature buffering the car lot from the streetscape.

[thelakelander]

Here's the updated plan.  They stuck a dumpster/bike building on Adams Street.....

Before


After

[jaxnyc79]

Haha, they might as well have put a big middle finger in the rendering

[Bill Hoff]

Chances the DDRB approves this design?

It really is a joke of a 2nd submission.

[FlaBoy]

That looks awful. Maybe could work right up against the highway but not right in the middle of LaVilla on a relatively important road in and out of downtown. Really they need to do something with Adams St. I am less concerned with Lee St. since there is a swamp across the street.

[Jim]

Do they realize it still contains a surface lot?

[Steve]

This is terrible. If I were them (Assuming they don't have the money to front the entire block), I'd:

- Turn this into a U that faces Davis/Monroe/Adams, and stops mid-block so that the other half of the block isn't touched at all.
- Reduce the height by 1 floor, thereby reducing the parking need.
- Leave the other half for another development or market it for sale.

Seriously, this thing's site plan is ghastly. Their "update" assumes that the DDRB is just going to approve it, and they did the least amount of work they possibly could have, without doing literally zero. That's the most unimaginative thing they could have ever done this side of a Gate Gas Station.

[thelakelander]

Btw, DDRB staff recommends final approval. In regards to the Adams Street situation:

1. Sec. 656.361.11.- Setback or "Build To" Lines (Complies)

The intent of the Setback and "Build To" Lines is for buildings to provide continuous frontage along sidewalks creating a pedestrian-oriented and pedestrian-scaled environment.

The site plan shows a residential project with street frontage on N. Lee, N. Davis, W. Adams, and W. Monroe Streets. The drawings and site plan indicate building facades built to the property lines not with-standing areas for landscape and parking. It is noted that portions of the building are set back to accommodate the first floor of surface parking and a landscape buffer. The primary entrance for the project is proposed for the corner of Davis and Monroe Streets. As such, the drawings show compliance with this design guideline.

Also, a letter from the developer to the DDRB states:

"At the request of the board, the southwest corner of the site was redesigned to capture the urban corner with a bike building that could be inwardly and outwardly focused, connecting the residents back to the city.  The modified contemporary hardscape and landscape give the project a more urban feel and also provides residents with an enhanced sense of security."

[Tacachale]

[jaxjags]

Something tells me it is about time the DDRB needs to be replaced with something or someone with the guts to make things correct. This and the gate station shows they are just puppets of the developers.